Software · head to head
Adobe Illustrator vs Affinity Designer
Adobe Illustrator
Software
Professional vector graphics software
- From
- $22.99/month
- Rated
- -
Affinity Designer
Software
Professional graphic design software for everyone
- From
- $69.99/one-time
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Adobe Illustrator listed on UK G-Cloud as part of Adobe Creative Cloud (which bundles Illustrator) at £58 to £80 per licence per month, via reseller ServiceKey; Affinity Designer sold as a one-time purchase rather than a subscription: the Windows or macOS edition was priced at CA$94.99, the cross-platform Universal License at CA$224.99, and the standalone iPad edition at CA$24.99 (Internet Archive capture, 1 January 2024)
- They diverge on capability: Adobe Illustrator covers Shape tools, Affinity Designer covers Gradient tools.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Adobe Illustrator and Affinity Designer actually diverge.
| Attribute | Adobe Illustrator | Affinity Designer |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $22.99/month | $69.99/one-time |
| Pricing model | subscription | one-time |
| Founded | 1982 | 1994 |
Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Windows, Macos, Ios), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Adobe Illustrator
- Shape tools
- Gradients & effects
- Symbols & instances
- 3D capabilities
- Photoshop
- InDesign
- XD
- Figma
Only in Affinity Designer
- Gradient tools
- Pixel-perfect editing
- Symbols
- Non-destructive effects
- Affinity Photo
- Affinity Publisher
- Adobe apps
- OneDrive
Both cover
- Vector drawing
- Bezier tools
- Typography
- Artboards
- Dropbox
- Desktop deployment
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Adobe Illustrator
- Logo design
- Vector illustration
- Icon design
- Print designnot Affinity Designer
Affinity Designer
- Logo design
- Vector illustration
- Icon design
- Brandingnot Adobe Illustrator
Both are used for logo design, vector illustration, icon design, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Adobe Illustrator
- Listed on UK G-Cloud as part of Adobe Creative Cloud (which bundles Illustrator) at £58 to £80 per licence per month, via reseller ServiceKey
Affinity Designer
- Sold as a one-time purchase rather than a subscription: the Windows or macOS edition was priced at CA$94.99, the cross-platform Universal License at CA$224.99, and the standalone iPad edition at CA$24.99 (Internet Archive capture, 1 January 2024)
Pricing, plan by plan
Adobe Illustrator
$22.99/month- Single App$22.99/month
- Illustrator desktop app
- 100GB cloud storage
- Adobe Fonts
- All Apps$59.99/month
- All Creative Cloud apps
- 100GB cloud storage
- Adobe Stock trial
Affinity Designer
$69.99/one-time- Standard$69.99/one-time
- Full version
- All features
- Lifetime updates
Which should you pick?
Choose Adobe Illustrator if
- You need shape tools.
- You work on Windows, Macos, Ios.
- You also want gradients & effects.
Choose Affinity Designer if
- You need gradient tools.
- You work on Windows, Macos, Ios.
- You also want pixel-perfect editing.
Questions people ask
- Is Adobe Illustrator or Affinity Designer better?
- Neither clearly leads. Adobe Illustrator starts at $22.99/month and Affinity Designer at $69.99/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Adobe Illustrator or Affinity Designer?
- Adobe Illustrator starts at $22.99/month and Affinity Designer at $69.99/one-time.
- Does Adobe Illustrator or Affinity Designer run on more platforms?
- Both run on Windows, Macos, Ios, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- What is Adobe Illustrator best used for?
- Adobe Illustrator is most often used for logo design, vector illustration, icon design, print design. Of those, print design is not what Affinity Designer is typically brought in for.
- What can Adobe Illustrator do that Affinity Designer cannot?
- Adobe Illustrator covers Shape tools, Gradients & effects, Symbols & instances, 3D capabilities. Affinity Designer covers Gradient tools, Pixel-perfect editing, Symbols, Non-destructive effects. Both handle Vector drawing, Bezier tools, Typography, Artboards.